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TOWER FLOATS NO BETTER THAN ARK

April 28, 2005

The Anderson's Ark template of illegally moving funds offshore through bogus expense deductions wasn't unique. A Denver jury yesterday convicted two Coloradans of running a similar scheme through "Tower Executive Resources." The jurors deliberated for four weeks following a five week trial.

According to prosecutors, Paul Harris and Lester Retherford of Tower Executive Resources set up shell corporations in which members deposited nearly $9 million in taxable income. The money was allegedly transferred to offshore bank accounts under the guise that it was payment to Tower for consulting services. Instead, the government said, Tower's members spent the money using debit cards and loans.

The defendants - Paul Harris and Lester Retherford - face up to 10 years in prison, according to the Post report.

CUSTOMERS GET JAIL, TOO

John Mikutowica of Mashpee, Massachussetts was sentenced to 33 months in prison for tapping into Tower "resources."

Paul Bekins, a former president of Bekins Moving and Storage, pleaded guilty to evading $1.3 million via Tower; he testified for the prosecution in the Denver trial. His sentencing was delayed pending the results of the Denver trial